Five Years

Five years ago to the day (minus one), my first piece appeared in this magazine. What better way to celebrate than with “Flashing Lights,” a feature about Lily Allen, the British singer who recently visited New York. (I first wrote about Allen in June of 2006.) You’ll need a subscription (or a physical copy) to read the piece, but anybody can listen to the podcast on Allen.

In this podcast, I allege that there probably isn’t a young female American pop star who is directly analogous to Allen. Several candidates occurred to me—Pink, Beth Ditto, and Karen O among them—but I couldn’t find an artist of the same age, with an equally big audience, who attracts paparazzi, writes with real wit, and has a taste for public mischief. (Or mayhem, depending on your taste in feuds.) I am sure my readers will assist me if I have overlooked someone.

Sign up for the daily newsletter.Sign up for the daily newsletter: the best of The New Yorker every day.